


New Challenges

by Zetal (Rodinia)



Series: Warning Labels [8]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean is an awesome brother, M/M, Well-meant concern that isn't needed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-05-31 04:42:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6456307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodinia/pseuds/Zetal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Free of time limits, Sam and Cas begin a new school year and run into a patch of rough water.</p><p>Note: The underage warning is because Sam is 15, Cas is 16/17.  Nothing more explicit than kissing will be depicted, but it is referenced.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. September 17 - Afternoon

Unlike the previous year, Sam and Cas ate alone at lunch. Dean’s friends had either graduated or drifted away without him, but that suited the boys just fine. They’d always been loners, and it meant they could talk a little more freely about their summer vacation and future plans.

One Wednesday, as Sam returned from throwing out their trash, he suddenly remembered. “Hey, after practice, I’m going home with Jess, we’ve got a history project we’re partners on. Shouldn’t be home much later than 8:30, if something comes up I’ll call. Can you let Dean know?”

“Fine,” Cas said, a little disgruntled. “Will you be eating with her?”

“Yeah, her mom’s making some casserole or other. Thanks, Cas.” Sam leaned over and gave his boyfriend a quick kiss on the cheek, ignoring the stares from some of the others in the area.

Cas picked up his bag. “If you’re going with Jess, then I’m gonna go home right after school. That way I can get some serious work done on Anna’s painting.”

Cas had insisted on coming to watch Sam’s soccer practice since school started. He got his homework done, or sketched, while he sat in the stands. So Sam felt a little stung by this – and then guilty about feeling stung by Cas doing what Sam had said he should for the past two weeks. “Sounds good to me,” he forced himself to say with a smile. The bell rang, and Cas took off without a word.

 

Dean looked up at the sound of the door closing. “Cas? What are you doing home?”

“I live here. This is where I go after school.” Cas tossed his bag into a corner and stormed upstairs. He returned after a couple minutes. “Sam’s going to work on a history project and will be eating dinner at his partner’s house. He said he’d call if it’s going to be later than 8:30.”

Most people would have left it there. Most people weren’t Dean. “You okay, Cas?”

“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” Cas said.

Obviously, Cas was not okay. Dean started with his first clue. “Well, for one, you’re not at soccer practice.”

Cas rolled his eyes. “Sam’s been telling me not to go for two weeks. Now I’m getting interrogated because I listened to him? If I’m just going to walk home alone anyway, I don’t see the point in sitting in the wind and sun when I can be here.”

“Whoa. Okay, Cas, what’s really going on here?” If Cas was fine, then Dean was Elvis. And there was no way Dean could pull off a rhinestoned jumpsuit. Cas tried to leave, but Dean caught his arm. “Come on, Cas. Talk to me.”

Cas stopped and let out a sigh of frustration. “What are we doing Friday night?”

“Well, I figured I’d call Starla while you and Sam celebrate your birthday, and then I’m taking you out to lunch on Saturday after Sam’s match,” Dean said. It seemed pretty obvious. “Why, has Sam not told you anything about what he’s planning?”

“Sam hasn’t said a word about Friday, even to talk about our standing Friday night date,” Cas said.

Dean was starting to get a sense of what was happening. “Are you worried he’s forgotten?”

“He’s Sam,” Cas snapped. “When has he ever forgotten anything that was important to him?”

This was even worse than Dean had thought. “Cas. C’mere.” He led Cas to the living room and shoved him into a seat on the couch before sitting beside him. “Cas, you’re important to Sam.”

“Of course you say that,” Cas said.

“Because it’s true,” Dean said. Then it hit him what Cas meant. “Cas… yeah, until recently, Sam was my top priority, even over you. But it’s not like that anymore. You’re my brother as long as you wanna be my brother. You and Sam break up, I’m not gonna automatically take his side. I can ship him to Dad. Only reason I’m more likely to go with him is that I trust Gabriel with you a lot more than I trust Dad with Sammy. Even so, unless you pull some flagrant foul like you start beating on him or he catches you in bed with some guy…” Dean cut off at the look on Cas’s face. “Oh, is _that_ what this is all about?”

“I am not cheating on Sam!” Cas protested, eyes going wide.

“No shit,” Dean said. He’d know. “Pretty sure he’s not cheating on you either, but sometimes _I_ want to smack him when he starts going on about Jess. That’s his history partner, right?” Cas nodded. “I was just as bad about you those first couple weeks. He’s not gonna dump you for her, I promise. If it’s bugging you this much, you should talk to him.”

“And come off as a jealous, controlling boyfriend? No thanks,” Cas said, and Dean was glad to hear that even if that wasn’t what he was saying. “I know perfectly well that Sam’s not doing anything wrong and that he’s allowed to have friends.”

“Yeah, he is, but this isn’t about him having friends, even one he’s getting pretty close to,” Dean said. “There’s a huge difference between telling Sam you’re worried that he’s taking you for granted and that you could use some reassurance, and being jealous and controlling. You two are normally so good about talking things out before they blow up, and that’s all I’m saying you should do.”

Cas hesitated, but finally deflated and sagged back against the couch. “Fine. I’ll talk to him when he gets home. You really don’t think I’m being unreasonable?”

“To tell Sam that you’re bothered and could use some reassurance that he knows how goddamn lucky he is? Hell no. Skipping soccer practice because he went to Jess’s to do homework? That’s a little…” Dean chuckled and shook his head.

“I really do want to get some painting done,” Cas said, but he smiled sheepishly. “Thanks, Dean. You’re a good brother.”

“Correction,” Dean said with his best cocky grin. “I am an awesome brother.”


	2. September 17 - Evening

Sam and Jess had made excellent progress on their project. Most of their other homework was done, too. Jess pulled out her chemistry book. “Do you understand electron configurations?” she asked.

Sam shrugged. “I get the basics? When they start messing with the simple rules, though… I’m gonna ask Cas when I get home, he loved chemistry.”

“Hail Cas, the great sage,” Jess teased.

“Well, he was really good at chemistry, so I bet he can help me,” Sam said with a smile.

A voice from downstairs floated up. “Yes, ma’am, I’m looking for my brother, Sam Winchester. The message he sent home with Cas said he’d be home over an hour ago.”

“Shit!” Sam looked at his watch – it was 9:45. “How’d it get so late? God, Cas is gonna kill me… unless Dean beats him to it.” He hurriedly packed up his bag and ran downstairs. “I’m here, Dean, I lost track of time, I’m so sorry, how pissed is Cas?”

“Not gonna lie, kiddo, I may be about to find out what an actual fight between you two looks like. And you deserve it,” Dean said, and Sam’s heart sank. Not that he blamed Cas.

“Over losing track of time?” Jess asked incredulously.

Dean shrugged. “Small symptom, bigger problem.”

Mrs. Moore stepped in, putting a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Sam, is everything all right? Do you want to stay here tonight?”

That was the worst thing Sam could possibly do. “No thank you, ma’am, I need to get home to Cas. But I do appreciate the offer. And thank you for dinner, I enjoyed it a lot.”

Mrs. Moore gave him a smile, but Sam recognized it as the worried smile people tended to get when they realized Sam didn’t have a typical home life. “I don’t imagine you get a proper home-cooked meal very often. You’re welcome here any time.”

“If I don’t eat as well as I should, it’s my own fault, ma’am. Both Cas and Dean are great cooks. But thank you.” Sam kept his voice as polite as possible. He followed Dean out to the car.

Once the doors were closed, Dean turned to glare at Sam. “Why wouldn’t you get home-cooked meals?”

Sam shrugged. “Because Mrs. Moore doesn’t like that the three of us basically have no parents. Yes, she knows you’re nineteen, but she doesn’t think you’re old enough to raise teenagers, and she doesn’t think much of Gabriel at all.”

“She gonna cause problems with CPS or Michael?” Dean asked.

Sam had actually planned on talking with Dean and Cas about this tonight. “I hope not. I tried, but I can’t make her understand that I’m better off with you than Dad and that Cas is way better off with Gabriel than Michael. She met Michael over the summer and bought the sob story of how he just wants his son to come home.”

“Keep trying, you and me don’t have much to fear from CPS anymore but Cas does. Speaking of Cas, what’s happening Friday?” Dean asked.

Sam grinned. He was looking forward to it. “I’m skipping soccer practice so I can spend all afternoon and evening with him. There’s no way I can top what he did for my birthday, but I can try. And yes, I cleared it with Coach Stone.”

Dean raised an eyebrow. “Cas have any idea?”

“Well, Friday’s always been our date night, so I can’t imagine he doesn’t know, but I am trying to surprise him with what I’ve got planned…” Sam said, wondering where Dean was going.

“Cas have any idea?” Dean repeated.

“No… oh.” The grin dropped off Sam’s face. “Oh god, does Cas think I forgot?”

Dean shook his head. “Worse. You don’t forget things you care about.”

Sam went pale. Oh, shit. “Cas thinks I don’t care about him? How can he… is this about Jess?” He hoped not, he didn’t want to think Cas was like that, but how else could Cas think that someone who spent every night in his arms didn’t care?

“Again, symptom of a bigger problem,” Dean said. “Talk to him. As soon as possible. When we get home, if he’s willing to stay up to listen.”


	3. September 17 - Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Cas rediscover that talking about their relationship leads to good things.

Sam spent the rest of the drive home thinking, and realizing the responsibility he had for this. He was out of the car before Dean had even shut it off. “Hi Gabriel, have you seen… never mind.” He ran to where he saw Cas sitting in the living room, throwing himself at the older boy. “Cas, I am so, so sorry.”

Cas looked skeptical, but there was hope in his eyes, too. “For what?”

“For not putting forth the effort to make sure you know you’re one of the two most important things in my life. I know you know I love you, but I also know that doesn’t mean I don’t have to say it or show it,” Sam said. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d told Cas he loved him. Quite possibly not since summer.

Cas’s arms came around Sam for a moment, but then Cas pushed him away. “Sam, I know I’m being insecure, and I want to be happy that you’re making a friend. I know you’ve never had many, which makes this one that much more important to you. This isn’t just you at fault.”

“Is this something specific about Jess, or general worry?” Sam asked.

Cas didn’t answer for a minute. Finally, he said, “This is probably going to sound very silly, and I know I’m being stupid, but I think it’s because she’s a girl. You’ve said all along that you’re not like me, you’ve never really examined your preferences aside from liking me, and a girl can do a lot of things for you that I can’t.”

“That doesn’t sound silly at all,” Sam said. “Cas, the two things I can think of? You’re worth the hassle that comes with a gay relationship. Yeah, my life might be easier if I had a girlfriend instead of a boyfriend, but then I wouldn’t have _you_. You know what my life has been like, tell me when I’ve ever had it easy.” Cas laughed at that. He certainly couldn’t deny the truth. “And the other thing is kids… if we decide we want to go that route, there are ways. But that’s at least seven years in the future, and in the meantime, there are things you can do for me that no girl ever could. Whether you’re some kind of exception or part of the general rule, I love you, and I am not going to ditch you for a pair of boobs.”

“Things like what?” Cas asked.

Sam smiled. “Like the way you’ve become family. Dean, Dad, Uncle Bobby, Pastor Jim, Ellen and Jo… it takes one heck of an amazing person to not only survive them but get them to accept you as one of us. I can’t see Dean taking a girl on as a sister like he has you.”

Cas let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, good. I thought you were going to say something about sex.”

Sam snorted. “Well, yeah, but we usually go the other way since that’s what you prefer. Not sure I could bring myself to be as rough with a girl as I get sometimes with you, and it would take a hell of a girl to kick my ass and make me like it the way you can. But I wanted to go with something specific to you. I’m not ditching you for a guy, either. Just to be clear.”

“Even sillier now… I met you when I came over for a project and dinner,” Cas said, and Sam grinned.

“With Dean. And believe me, Jess’s little sister does not need a warning label, not for me.” Jenna was a sweet enough kid, but she wasn’t Cas. “But if you weren’t already bothered I bet this wouldn’t have bugged you.”

“I’d like to think so,” Cas said. “I don’t want to be that boyfriend who can’t deal with his boyfriend having other friends. Especially when you’re so good about me joking around with Dean.”

Sam burst into laughter. “Dude, no, bad comparison. I mean, I do trust you with anyone, but even if you did try something with Dean, I know absolutely that Dean would shut it down. He’d never do that to me. You have no reason to believe that of Jess. Besides, he’s no different with you than he is with me.”

“Sam… Dean’s your brother,” Cas said.

Sam reached out and gave Cas a very gentle shake. “And you haven’t been listening the last few months. He’s your brother too. He doesn’t hang that title loosely, and now that he’s free of Dad, it’d take something huge for him to ditch you.”

For some reason, that didn’t reassure Cas. “That’s what he said earlier when he made me talk about why I was in such a bad mood when I got home. I don’t want to steal your brother.”

“You aren’t,” Sam said. “That’s actually one reason I’m so secure about us that I got complacent, because Dean fits so well into our dynamic – including knowing when to get out of it – and you fit so well into mine and Dean’s. My turn to sound silly, but when Dean first started dating, I was terrified that some girl was gonna come along and make Dean choose between me and her, and he’d choose her. With you, I don’t have to choose between you and Dean for more than an evening.”

“While we’re airing things out, I’m sorry about soccer,” Cas said.

“Heh, I should have told you at lunch that you skipping today bothered me, maybe that would’ve helped put your mind at ease at least a little,” Sam said with a rueful chuckle. “I didn’t say anything because I’ve been telling you to do exactly that all along.”

“I’m declaring Wednesday Paint Day, I do want to spend more time painting and when you’re gone is a good time because I’m not distracted as easily, but today I skipped to hurt you. I’m willing to switch if you get me notice in time, of course, for something like this,” Cas said.

“Fair enough,” Sam said. “Cas… I love you. Is there anything else you want or need to hear tonight?”

“No, but… there is something else I want your thoughts on,” Cas said. “My church got a new priest over the summer, and Sunday he asked why I’m not confirmed.”

“What did you tell him?” Sam asked.

“The truth,” Cas said. “That I can’t accept that the God who made me the way I am would consider it wrong for me to love the way He made me to love.”

Sam smiled at that. “What did he say?”

“That he agreed. That if I do the classes, the retreat, attend Reconciliation, and otherwise prepare myself, he has no problem including me in the sacrament this time around,” Cas said.

Sam’s eyebrows shot up. “That sounds like a good thing. What do you want my thoughts on?”

“I… I want to do it,” Cas said. “I know Gabriel will sponsor me; he was planning to last year. But… after what happened last spring…”

“Your faith is important to you, Cas. I know giving up Confirmation last year hurt you a lot, and now you have a second chance. If you wanna do it… I say go for it.”

“But it’s the same congregation that rejected me last year,” Cas said.

“When I was worried that you picked me over your faith, you told me that Confirmation was between you, God, and the Catholic church. Not a specific congregation,” Sam said.

“It is,” Cas said, finally smiling. “Thank you, Sam.”

“Actually, I’ve been thinking,” Sam said. “What would I need to do to join?”

“Sam?”

“Well, you know my lack of affiliation isn’t a lack of faith, it’s because I was never really settled enough to make any kind of commitment anywhere,” Sam said. “I’m sure I won’t be the first or the last person to choose their denomination for love. This isn’t a spur of the moment thing, I swear. I’ve been thinking about it since I started going with you over the summer.”

“There’s a class, I know… I’ll look into what you need to do to get into that class,” Cas promised. “Have you talked to Dean about this?”

Sam shook his head. “Since I’m not looking to make him do it with me, I can’t see where he’d care, or where it’s any of his say for that matter.”

“Talk to him before signing up, just in case,” Cas said. “I think that’s all I have for tonight. What about you?”

“Depends… we’re already up past bedtime, but I need help with my chemistry homework, and since this is as close as we’ve ever come to a fight, we might wanna give makeup sex a try,” Sam said with an impish smile.

“Go get your homework,” Cas said, but he was smiling too. “If we’re going to be tired you may as well be tired with your work done.”


	4. September 18 - Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well-intentioned concern lands Sam in the counselor's office when he goes to school the next day.

In English the next morning, Jess hurried to Sam’s desk. “Are you okay? How’d things go last night?”

Sam blinked. Staying up until one in the morning had been worth it, but he was paying for it now. “Hey, Jess. What do you mean?”

“I mean you going home to Cas! You were scared, are you okay?” Jess asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Sam said, stifling a yawn. “Dean made me realize I’d been an idiot, Cas and I talked it out and agreed to a plan of action, and we stayed up late making up. Sorry, I’m kind of still tired.”

“You’re not hurt? Cas didn’t do anything…”

Sam stared at Jess in disbelief. “Oh my god, I was scared that Cas was gonna be mad and you thought I was scared of what he’d do to me? Cas loves me, he’d never hurt me.”

Jess looked skeptical. “Then what’s with the bruise on your arm?”

Sam looked down. Sure enough, just peeking out from his sleeve was a purpled spot. “Wow. You’re not gonna believe me, but that wasn’t Cas trying to hurt me. We were making out, he shoved me up against the wall, my arm caught the doorframe. It was an accident.”

“One hell of an accident,” Jess said.

Sam shook his head. “Jess, I’m fine. Not counting hickeys, this is the only bruise I’ve ever gotten that was even remotely Cas’s fault. I get that you’re concerned, and I appreciate it. I do. But get to know Cas, and you’ll understand that he would never hurt me.”

Jess still looked skeptical, but she relaxed a little. “Introduce me. Lunch today, or after soccer practice.”

“Sure thing,” Sam said. Hell, he probably should have done this earlier, really.

 

Sam was called out of history to go to the counselor’s office. He wasn’t quite sure what it was about, but it’s not like getting called to the counselor’s office was new for him. The counselor, an older woman named Mrs. Soliz, gave him a worried look as she asked him to sit down. “Sam, do you know why you’re here?”

“No,” Sam said. Best not to give her ideas, so he went with one of the more harmless of the common and harmless reasons he or Dean got called in to school counselors. “Is there a problem with my transcript?”

“No, no, this is about you,” Mrs. Soliz said. “You’re fifteen, am I correct?”

“Yeah…”

“Dating a senior?” she continued.

“A young one. He won’t be seventeen until tomorrow.” Sam’s guard went up, but he had plenty of practice at giving the appearance of being completely puzzled and open. What did Cas have to do with anything?

Mrs. Soliz cleared her throat. “I understand you live with this boy.”

“Yes, ma’am, that’s correct. My brother and I live with him and his uncle,” Sam said.

“Whose idea was that?”

The confusion went from feigned to genuine. “Gabriel’s – Cas’s uncle. He knew Dean and I would need a place to live if we came back, since our lease on the place we were at last spring ended in June. For the summer it didn’t matter, we were on the road with our dad, but once school started we needed to settle down.”

“So there are three boys between two rooms?” Mrs. Soliz asked.

“Yes.” From what Sam understood from talking to other kids and watching TV and movies, lots of kids shared rooms. “So?”

“Who shares?”

“Me and Cas,” Sam said. “I think Cas was the first to actually say it, but all of us were thinking it, since we’d always shared on the road. If we get in a fight and don’t resolve it by bedtime, I can go sleep in the spare bed in Dean’s room.”

“Does that happen often?” Mrs. Soliz said.

Sam was starting to figure out why he was here, and it was all he could do not to roll his eyes. “It’s never happened. Cas and I don’t fight much, we usually work out our issues before they explode.”

Mrs. Soliz cleared her throat again. “So, your arm…”

“I cracked it on a doorframe while Cas and I were making out. It’s not Cas’s fault,” Sam said as patiently as he could. Was it really that weird for a teenage boy to have a bruise?

“I hear the two of you did have a fight yesterday,” Mrs. Soliz said.

“As close as we’ve ever come, but this happened after we’d talked it out and were doing the kiss-and-make-up part. Is that seriously why I’m here?” Sam dropped all pretense of cooperation when the counselor nodded. “Cas is not abusing me. My entire family has gone out of their way to give us a chance at this being forever, they wouldn’t do that if Cas were abusive, and we’re so close to Dean there’s no way we could keep that from him. He’d notice.”

“What about Cas’s family?” Mrs. Soliz asked.

Sam scoffed. “Well, Gabriel is rooting for us enough to ask us to live with him and Cas, his daughter Anna cleaned out her room for Dean to have, and Cas ran away from the rest of his family because of their reaction to him being gay. We really couldn’t care less what they think of us.”

“Are the two of you sexually active?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “He turns seventeen tomorrow. I’ll be sixteen before he’s eighteen, there’s not a time when statutory rape could apply. Yes, we are having sex. Dean knows and enables – you know, makes sure we have condoms and stuff, gives us our privacy, that sort of thing.”

“And who initiated that?”

“I guess Cas, but if at any time I’d said no, he’d have respected that. I say no sometimes, and he always accepts it.” Sam thought back, smiling a little at the memory. “That night, he asked before he’d even touched me, because he wanted to be sure my consent was real and not just heat of the moment, that I wouldn’t regret it when we woke up the next morning.”

Mrs. Soliz wasn't smiling at all. “Is that a common problem for you?”

“No, I’ve never regretted any line I crossed whether it was planned or spontaneous. But that’s kind of a big one, so Cas wanted to be extra careful,” Sam said.

“So you’ve never regretted saying yes… have you ever regretted saying no or to wait?” Mrs. Soliz pressed.

“Not because of anything Cas has done, no,” Sam said, staring at her oddly.

“Hmm?”

“There were a couple times where I wasn’t sure about something so I said no, but come morning I wished I’d said yes. Not because Cas was doing anything to make me feel bad, but because on further reflection I had been ready or up for it or whatever,” Sam explained.

Mrs. Soliz hmmed again. “So, despite your age, you genuinely believe that you and Cas have a healthy relationship?”

“Seven months together, and our biggest problems have been time limits and me taking him for granted once the time limits were gone? Yeah. Open, well-used lines of communication, clear expectations on things like spending and school and work, support from all the family we care about, and a shared desire to build our future together? Give us three years, would you even question that?”

“What happens when he goes to college next year?”

Sam shrugged. “Dean and I find a place to live with him, or near him if he has to live in a dorm his first year. I finish high school. If I get in, I go to the same university. If not, I go somewhere I do get in, Cas either finishes where he is or transfers to where he wants to be and we give long-distance a try if we have to. We’re looking at schools together. Right now, we’re making our own lists of dream schools and safety schools, and then we’ll compare them and come up with a joint short list.”

“How involved is Dean in this process?”

That threw Sam for a minute. “Once we get our short list, he’ll check out the towns and give us feedback. He’s not planning on going to school, though, so he’s said he doesn’t care what school we pick.”

“Once you’re eighteen, how involved is Dean going to be in your relationship?”

This was somewhat more familiar ground for Sam. Concerns about his closeness with Dean were standard fare for counselors. “Probably about the same as he is now? Cas and I are both happy with things as they are.”

“You don’t think it’s a little weird…?”

“No?” Sam said. “Dean’s an integral part of our friendship. He’s our brother, our best friend. He’s good about staying out of the parts of our relationship that it would be weird to have him in.”

“Oh?”

“Dean and I are brothers by birth. Dean and Cas are brothers by informal adoption. Cas and I are together. The three of us are best friends. If Dean finds a girl to bring in, we’ll adapt, I’m sure, but for now, we’ve got a balance between the three of us that works well and that we’re all happy with. That’s actually one sign to me that Cas and I have a shot at a fifty-year anniversary, that he integrated with me and Dean instead of asking me to split time.”

Mrs. Soliz raised an eyebrow. “You plan to marry Cas?”

“It's not a big deal for me right now, I'm fifteen,” Sam said. “But yeah, someday, I’d like to.”

“Does Cas know that?”

“We haven’t talked about it yet. It’s not like we even can until next year at the absolute earliest,” Sam pointed out.

“What if he doesn’t want to marry you?”

Sam shrugged. “Then we don’t get married.”

“And you’ll be okay with that?” she pushed.

“Well, I’ll obviously be disappointed, but I need Cas a lot more than I need a ring or a fancy piece of paper,” Sam said. He looked at his watch. “Since we’re speculating about things that are a long way away, can we be done here? I’ve pretty much missed history, I don’t want to miss chemistry too. I have enough trouble in that class without missing instruction.”

“Yes, go on,” Mrs. Soliz said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of the nice things about AUs, you can ignore pesky things like gay marriage wasn't law of the land in 1997.


	5. September 18 - Morning 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Castiel's turn to deal with the counselor. Surprisingly, it doesn't go well.

Castiel was already upset that he was missing physics. He'd never thought something could replace chemistry in his heart, but physics was threatening to. So when Mrs. Soliz called him into her office, he was not inclined to make things easy for her.

“Castiel. Please, come in,” she said.

Cas went in and sat stiffly in one of the chairs. “Why am I here?”

Mrs. Soliz blinked, thrown by the bluntness. “You’re seventeen, is that right?”

“No. Not until tomorrow,” Cas said.

“Ah, yes, well, one day doesn’t make much difference, does it?” Mrs. Soliz said. 

“Perhaps not. Why am I here?” Cas repeated.

“You have a boyfriend?”

“Yes.” He was baffled. Last spring, he could have used a counselor's help coming to terms with the consequences of being openly gay. Now, thanks to time, practice, and the perspective of what real monsters looked like, he didn't care a bit what people said about him.

“Who you live with,” she continued.

“He and his brother needed a place to live, Gabriel had room, I was at their place more often than I was home anyway, it made sense,” Castiel said.

“The two of you share a bed?”

Cas did his best to quell the anger that was starting to rise. “I fail to see where our sleeping arrangements are any of your concern. Sam, Dean, John, and Gabriel approve, I’m within two years of Sam’s age so it’s not illegal, and I have never coerced Sam into anything.”

“John?”

“Sam’s father.”

Mrs. Soliz tilted her head curiously. “Where is he? Why don’t Sam and Dean live with him?”

Cas shrugged. “He’s a homeless drifter. He recognized that Sam is better off with Dean as his custodial guardian so he can stay in one place during the school year. We spent the summer traveling with him.”

“So what happens next year?” Mrs. Soliz asked.

“If we’re lucky, the three of us have our own place where I go to college, Sam goes to high school, and Dean works,” Castiel said. “If we’re unlucky, Sam and Dean get that place and I theoretically live in the dorm but spend most of my time with them, like last spring where I ended up spending more nights there than at home.”

“Where are you going?”

“I haven’t decided,” Cas said. “My dream is Stanford, but we’re still in the phase of looking at a lot of places.”

“We?”

Cas tilted his head. “Ideally, Sam will go to the same school, so he gets some say in where we look at. October 1st, we’ll compare lists and start serious research, so that I can start applying by mid-October.”

“Stanford…” Mrs. Soliz said thoughtfully. “California’s a pretty high-cost area, you know. What if Dean can’t afford it?”

“My family is extremely wealthy. I have limited access to my share of the family money now, and the limits stop at eighteen. Dean and Sam are my family. Dean doesn’t have to work unless he wants to, but he’s the kind of person who needs to feel useful. He wouldn’t be happy staying home all the time. For a month or so, he will be responsible for everything, so he’s saving up now.”

“Why’s that?”

Everyone in town knew Cas’s story, so he didn’t try to hide the situation. “Because until I’m eighteen I’m still not safe from Michael, so depending where I go, it could be up to a month before it’s safe for me to access my accounts. I can’t change my name until I’m eighteen, so I’ll need to do whatever else I can to keep Michael from tracking me to school.”

“And how does Sam earn his keep?” Mrs. Soliz asked.

Cas was taken aback by the question. “What do you mean?”

“Dean will have income…”

That didn’t help clear anything up. “And Sam will have school.”

“So… Sam becomes dependent on you,” Mrs. Soliz said.

“Perhaps, but he’s family, so I’m not seeing the problem,” Cas said.

“What happens when he doesn’t want sex?”

Castiel hit his feet, unable to see straight through the rage. “Sam is my boyfriend, not my whore! I have never used physical affection as… as a bargaining chip, or something to be demanded in return for some service performed, and I will never! Sam is my equal in this relationship, and that’s not going to change for the twenty month’s I’m legally adult and he’s not, or the two years he’s in high school and I’m in college. He’s my partner, not… I can’t believe you would even think such a thing.”

“It’s my job to think things, Castiel. To protect my students,” Mrs. Soliz said, but she looked a little shaken. “I couldn’t help noticing Sam had quite the bruise this morning.”

“That was an accident,” Cas said as he sat back down and started forcing himself to calm down. “I didn’t realize how close we were to the door when I pushed him up against the wall to kiss him.”

Mrs. Soliz raised an eyebrow. “Why were you pushing him against a wall in the first place?”

Cas stared in horrified disbelief. “I am not discussing the details of my sex life with you. Sam is not at all shy about letting me know when he doesn’t like something, and he didn’t say a word of complaint either at the time or afterwards. You’ve accused me of being a molester, a whorekeeper, and now an abuser. I’m very glad you’re looking out for Sam, but he needs no protection from me. I love that boy, and I would never do anything to hurt him.”

“You seem awfully defensive for someone who’s not doing anything wrong,” Mrs. Soliz said.

“I missed my favorite class so that I could have terrible accusations thrown at me,” Cas countered.

“Do you intend to marry him?”

Where the hell had that come from? “I would love to, but as we can’t any time soon, we haven’t talked about it. What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Just trying to understand,” Mrs. Soliz said. “Go on to lunch, Castiel. All that outrage, you must have worked up quite the appetite.”


	6. September 18 - Lunchtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunchtime. Cas and Dean both get to meet Jess.

Cas took a seat beside Sam at lunch, barely sparing a glance for the blonde girl at their table. “Sam, have I ever coerced you into anything?”

“No.” Sam gave him a weird look.

“Your arm… you know that was overenthusiasm, not a desire to control or injure you?” he continued.

“Of course. Cas, what…?”

“Have I ever said or done anything to make you feel like you _had_ to perform…”

“Cas, what the hell?” Sam looked over at the girl, who looked rather shocked at this conversation.

Cas finally relaxed, reaching out to gently brush a hand over Sam’s cheek. “I spent what should have been an hour of physics being interrogated and having accusations hurled at me by the school counselor.”

“Oh, my god,” Sam said. “If I’d known she’d call you, I’d have stayed in there and had you walk me through the chemistry lesson tonight. I spent history getting the third degree about our relationship, and I told her exactly what I’ve always said. I’m young, not stupid, and I’ve never doubted that you love me, that you respect me, and that your love and respect is not contingent on anything but me showing you love and respect in return.”

Cas smiled. “Well, hopefully this is over now and we can just forget it and be happy.”

“Yeah.” Sam cleared his throat. “Look, I know this is like the worst timing ever, but I’d like you to meet Jess.”

Cas looked over at the blonde girl, really registering her presence for the first time. Jess was beautiful, and for a minute, his insecurity flared. He got hold of himself, firmly reminding himself that Sam loved him, and took the hand Jess was holding out. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He tilted his head, looking intently at Jess, until he figured out why she was familiar. “An Explosion of Lilies!”

“What?” Sam asked, looking between the two.

“It’s the piece I brought in to show what I’d done over the summer… wait, This Is No Triumph!” Jess said, her eyes going wide. “Oh, my god. How did I not connect Sam’s Cas the senior and artist with Castiel Godwin the senior in my art class?”

Castiel actually laughed at that. “I failed to connect Dean Winchester’s awesome little brother Sammy with Sam Winchester the hot freshman track star in the making until I went to their home. Sam, come down to the studio sometime, Jess’s work is quite impressive.”

“I’m sure you’ve seen This Is No Triumph, but seeing it properly mounted and hung can be a very different experience,” Jess said.

“Michael and Lucifer,” Castiel explained at Sam’s blank look. “The title’s your fault, you know.”

Sam was about to respond when both boys’ attention was caught by Dean making his way over. “Hey, guys. Who’s Mayra Soliz and why am I being called in to meet with her?”

“Oh, come on!” Sam cried. He held out his arm and pushed up the sleeve. “Someone saw this, heard that Cas and I had a fight, and both of us got to miss a class we love to spend time in the counselor’s office answering questions about our relationship.”

Dean looked at the bruise with a bit of a scowl. “Cas, you did that?”

“Not you too,” Sam complained. “I hit it on the doorframe when Cas pushed me into a wall for makeouts. Complete accident.”

Dean chuckled. “Bad timing there, bro. Jess?”

Jess flushed. “I didn’t go to Mrs. Soliz. The only thing I can think of is that Mrs. Murray, our English teacher, heard me and Sam talking before she started class. I’m not apologizing for checking on Sam or being concerned about him.”

“Not asking you to, but I’m going to tell you something and I want you to listen real good,” Dean said. “Cas and Sam are great together. If I ever find a girl worth settling down for, I want what they have.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Mrs. Soliz said as she approached the table. “Hello, Dean. I don’t think we met last spring. I’m Mayra Soliz. Thank you for coming so quickly.”

“Nothing’s more important to me than my brothers, Mrs. Soliz. Enjoy your lunch, kiddos.” Dean mussed Sam’s hair and punched Cas lightly on the shoulder.

Jess swallowed and turned to Cas. “Cas, I swear, I was concerned for Sam, but I just wanted to check on him. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“Well, it did,” Cas said, but he grudgingly added, “but concern for Sam is a motive I can respect. Sam tells me you’re studying French?”

“Yeah, I like it,” Jess said. “I’m planning on continuing after this year. I figured French or Spanish were the most universally taught, and my dad’s company tends to move him a lot so we move pretty much every summer.”

“What does your father do?” Cas asked.

“He’s a lawyer for a manufacturing company. He’s not around much, though. Too busy with contracts and stuff. Any time the company’s opening a new plant, or shutting one down, they want him involved. Dad refuses to move during the school year so Jen and I can have something resembling normalcy. Jeff and Jack are already out – my older brothers. Jeff’s in his final year of undergrad, pre-law, while Jack’s just started a civil engineering degree. Both at Stanford, we’re legacies. I’m not sure I want to go that route, though.”

“Stanford’s one of the schools I may be looking at,” Cas said. He was starting to warm to this girl.

“Will be, then,” Sam said. “That was, like, the second school I put on my list, and it’s survived every purge I’ve made.”

“You’ve purged schools already?” Cas asked.

Sam shrugged. “Nothing gets actually deleted unless I hate it after I’ve done my homework, but they can get bumped from Dream List to Like List to Okay List. Stanford’s still on the Dream List.”

“It’s a good school,” Jess said. “It’s just… both brothers, both parents, most of my aunts and uncles. I want to do my own thing. It may well be Stanford in the end, but at least I’ll know what else is out there, right?”

Cas smiled. “Agreed. That’s why Sam’s looking at schools with me. We’d like to be at the same school, and I don’t want Sam to feel like he has to go somewhere he’d be unhappy just because it’s what I chose.”


	7. September 18 - Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Gabriel weigh in.

Dean settled into the chair, trying not to feel like he was back in high school. He was here as a guardian, not a student, which meant that he really didn’t have to watch his mouth anymore. Still, he’d be polite until he found out just how stupid this woman was. “So, I hadn’t seen the bruise, but I’ve been watching them pretty closely since February and this is the only time I’ve seen anything questionable.”

Mrs. Soliz nodded. “Is it possible you’ve missed something?”

“Not likely,” Dean said. “I went to bed early, before it happened, my shift at the garage started at seven so I didn’t see Sam this morning. I’d have noticed this evening, at dinner at the latest.”

“And you’ve heard their claim for how it happened?” she asked.

“Yeah. Makes sense. More sense than Cas doing it on purpose,” Dean said. “I’ve never seen him violently angry at anything, part of the buildup to yesterday was Cas knowing he can’t control Sam and shouldn’t try, and Cas knows damn well he starts that crap Sam and I both leave and I don’t have to listen if Sam tries the classic abused person’s excuses for their abuser.”

“So Cas is less your brother than Sam?”

“He is if he’s abusing Sam,” Dean said easily. “Of course, if Sam starts that crap I’m shipping him to Dad and staying with Cas unless he kicks me out. Nobody hurts my brother on my watch, not even my other brother.”

“How involved are you in their relationship?”

Dean shook his head. He’d hoped to be done with this now that Sam had a boyfriend. “I introduced them, they’re both my brothers, we’re all best friends. I’m there to listen and do my best to give them good advice, separately or together, about whatever they need. I make sure they have time and space for dates, even on road trips, and I buy them condoms and lube and anything else they need because I’m nineteen and the cashiers don’t start asking awkward questions.”

“You don’t find that weird?”

Dean’s face screwed up. “Weird would be not giving them their space. We’ve worked out boundaries for what they can and can’t talk to me about or do around me.”

“Do they get to be this involved in your relationships?”

“My relationships aren’t really like theirs,” Dean said. “They last a few weeks and are mostly about sex. Sammy and Cas don’t need to be involved in that. I find a girl who starts engaging with my brothers, I’ll know I’ve found one worth putting some real effort into.”

“I understand you’re Sam’s custodial guardian.”

“Yeah, Dad’s…” Dean tried to figure out how to explain. “He did his best, without Mom, but I can do better and Dad knows it. Dad’s work involves a lot of travel, I can stay in one place. I practically raised him as it is. Since he was a baby, I’m the one who he came to with problems, who celebrated his successes with him and helped him overcome and learn from his failures. Sam and Cas are my first priorities, even if I’m not Cas’s custodial guardian I can still be his big brother.”

“How far will you let them take this?”

“Sammy’s sixteen on May 2nd. I’d have a signed consent form ready to go that day if I thought it’d do any good and they told me that’s what they wanted. Other than marriage, I honestly don’t know how much farther there is for them to go. They’re practically there already, and it’s working for them. With the occasional metaphorical kick in the butt, but show me a couple who never has problems and I’ll start looking for the Stepford plant.”

“You really think that’s in their best interests?”

Dean shrugged. “What’s it matter if they marry next fall, Sam’s eighteenth birthday, when they’re both done with school, or when they’re fifty? How long does it have to last before it wasn’t a mistake? A year? Five years? Ten? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but marriage isn’t forever for a lot of people these days. I like their chances, though, and so do all the people we consider family.”

“All of them?”

“Cas’s blood relatives aren’t his family, except Gabe and Anna,” Dean said. “Balt maybe, if things go the way Cas hopes when he’s eighteen and can go back and see his brother again.”

Mrs. Soliz nodded. “When I spoke with Castiel, he seemed rather defensive about things.”

Dean snorted. “Okay, Sammy’s got English second period, so if it was someone from his English class who reported them then I’m betting you got Cas out of physics. Cas loves physics almost as much as he loves Sammy. So he started out angry and confused, and you start accusing him of hurting Sam, yeah, of course he’s gonna be defensive.”

“Confused?”

“Cas’s grades are fine, his SAT was awesome, it’s still too early in the college and scholarship application process for you to be hassling him about it, he doesn’t have behavior issues in class that anyone’s contacted me or Gabriel about. I promise you, the last thing he would have thought of was that this would be about him and Sam. So he was probably confused as hell about why he was here instead of in class.”

“You really are content that there’s nothing wrong with their relationship?”

“Like I said outside. They’re what I want if I ever find someone I think is worth the work.”

Mrs. Soliz nodded. “Very well, then. Thank you for coming in, Dean… Mr. Winchester.”

 

Gabriel was waiting when Sam and Cas got home from soccer practice. “Hey, it’s my favorite molester and victim! Interesting day, boys?”

“She called you?” Sam asked. "Really? Over a stupid bruise that there's a perfectly good explanation for?"

“I got it some really interesting hypotheses out of her,” Gabriel said. “What exactly I’m supposed to get out of making you have sex with Cas I don’t know, but there we are. Pretty sure I got her set straight. You two keep being you, I’ll call in a real investigator if she keeps pushing.”

Cas couldn’t help the shiver of fear. “Even though that puts me at risk of being sent back to Michael?”

“A real investigator would investigate why you’re here in the first place,” Gabriel said. “I know we’ve been trying to avoid family drama, but I’ll go to family court if that’s what it takes to keep you out of trouble and away from my idiot brother. I got your back, kiddo."


	8. September 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Communication solves problems and everything's good.

Sam woke Cas up with a kiss. “I owe you a birthday blow, but if I start that now we’ll be late for school. Tomorrow, I promise. Happy birthday, Cas.”

Cas caught Sam’s arm and pulled him back down for another kiss. “I’ll try to sleep in, then.” Sam laughed - Cas was usually the first one up in the house, especially on weekends. “Good morning.”

Dean had breakfast waiting for them. “Happy birthday! Gabriel left those for you, and I added mine to the pile. Don’t know where Sam’s is.”

“You’ll get mine later,” Sam promised.

School went well. Jess set up by him in art, which was a welcome change from being on his own. His physics teacher handed him the notes from the day before with a sympathetic smile and no commentary. There were whispers about him, but no more or no worse than normal, so easy enough to ignore as he always had.

As he climbed the bleachers to watch soccer practice, he frowned at the field. Something didn’t look right. He’d just worked out what was wrong when he felt someone plop down beside him. “Hey there, gorgeous. Looking for someone in particular?” Cas turned his head in shock. Sam was there, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He grinned. “If you’re looking for that midfielder with the long hair, rumor has it he’s skipping practice to take his boyfriend out for his birthday.”

“Sam, what…”

“Don’t worry, I cleared it with Coach. It means I won’t start tomorrow, but that’s okay,” Sam said. He looked over Cas carefully, apparently deciding that Cas passed whatever inspection he was under. “So… you know how over the summer, we’d visit animal shelters when we had some free time?”

“Yes…” Castiel said.

“I did some research, and it turns out seventeen’s old enough to volunteer,” Sam said. “Sixteen is, too, but I haven’t been holding out on you too long. You kept saying you wanted to…”

Cas’s face lit up. “You’re taking me to volunteer at the animal shelter?”

“Yep!” Cas jumped up and threw his arms around Sam. “They know we’re coming. Gabriel dropped by earlier to sign whatever he needed to sign, paperwork will be ready and waiting when we get there.”

“Your eighteenth birthday or as soon as I can talk Dean into it, I am getting a warning label tattooed on you. Caution: Amazing Human. Something like that.” Cas let go and let Sam lead him down the stairs.

Sam laughed. “I thought you were going to say Caution: Property of Cas Winchester. Or Godwin, I guess, if you decide not to change your name when you can.”

“Oh god no. That would just be daring the universe. We’d have a horrible fight and break up two weeks later,” Castiel said with a shiver. “Far easier and more traditional and less universe-provoking to just buy you a ring.”

He hadn’t meant to say it, but Sam didn’t look too bothered. “Yeah?”

“That counselor was mostly horrible, but I did like that particular flight of fancy of hers,” Castiel admitted. “I mean, not now, when we’re older, but… it’s a nice thought. I’m not looking to rush into anything.”

“Well, I haven’t let you rush me into anything yet, don’t think I’m gonna start there,” Sam said. “But yeah, I’d like that, someday.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's gonna do it for this part!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are cookies that don't contain calories. Therefore, they are awesome and you can never have enough. <3


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